If your world is like mine it is full of check lists…shopping lists, reading lists and even a bucket list. But I bet the one list you do not have for your family is a play list! Most of us think of play as this fun thing that we go do…as we have time. What we don’t realize is that play is made up of 9 specific activities that each bring added value to family life and skill development for your little ones.

Just look…

Gross Motor Play – Developing control of body movements for activities like sports, dance and balance.

Art Play – Building creativity, expressing a vision and creating an awareness of shapes, colors and forms.

Pretend Play – Exploring different worlds and roles, creating empathy and understanding of differences and likenesses.

Reading and Narrative Play – Learning to communicate our ideas and understand others.

Fine Motor Play – Developing control of our fingers for writing, eating and all the small things that require precision movements.

Are you surprised at how many of your answers are yes? Don’t be as we are all pre-wired to learn through play and we gravitate to these activities naturally. Encompassing all forms of play may be worth adding to your list after all because play builds skills that can be used throughout our whole life.

Make a quick play list of your own. See how many types of play your little one engages in during a week. Note where they are excelling and where they may be falling short. Incorporate some activities that touch on their strengths and challenges and have a little fun while you’re at it. Ready? Game on.